February 21st 2009 - Poor lifestyle habits from youth and young adulthood seem to predispose people to low bone mass as they age.

A lack of weight-bearing exercises and low intake of protein, minerals and vitamin D all seem to contribute to increased risk.

In Canada, about one in four women and one in eight men older than 50 have osteoporosis, and many more have osteopaenia — low bone mass. As baby boomers age, the incidence of osteoporosis is expected to rise steeply. The risk of an osteoporotic fracture in a lifetime is greater than the risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer combined.

“People don’t realize the degree of risk,” says Phyllis Edwards, densitometry technologist and osteoporosis educator for Bio-Imaging Osteoporosis Outreach, “and most people also do not understand the debilitation or even the survival risks involved with a serious fracture.”

Edwards has been providing bone density testing and public education throughout Western Canada for more than 10 years.

She will conduct an Osteoporosis Awareness Clinic at Comox Rexall Feb. 24.

If you are interested in an appointment for a risk assessment and ultrasound osteoporosis screening test, call Nurse Stratton at 250-339-2235 for available appointment times.